‘Becket’ diamond anniversary: Gem of a movie stars Richard Burton and Peter O’Toole

Susan King
·3 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

The historical epic “Becket” is turning 60 this week. When it was released, “Becket” was considered IMPORTANT. It was a huge and handsome production with sumptuous sets and costumes and a cast seemingly of thousands. And it featured two of the top and sexiest stars of the day – Peter O’Toole, fresh from his Oscar-nominated triumph in 1962’s “Lawrence of Arabia” and Richard Burton whose career had been overshadowed with his high-profile love affair with Elizabeth Taylor that began during the production of the infamous 1963 “Cleopatra.”

Set in the 12th century England, “Becket” revolves around the relationship between the hedonistic King Henry II (O’Toole), who never met a wench he didn’t bed, and Thomas Becket, his loyal friend and wingman for Henry’s sexual escapades. And because the Production Code was still in force, the film can only imply that Henry is in love with Becket. Henry makes Becket his Lord Chancellor and mistakenly believes if he names Becket the Archbishop of Canterbury, his BFF will allow Henry to solidify his control of the Catholic Church. But Becket has a spiritual awakening when he becomes Archbishop and challenges the King at every turn. And hell hath no fury as a King Henry II scorned.

More from GoldDerby

“Becket” had a strong pedigree. It was based on French writer Jean Anouilh’s 1959 acclaimed play “Becket or The Honour of God.” The 1961 Broadway production starred Laurence Olivier as Becket and Anthony Quinn as Henry. Directed by Peter Glenville, “Becket” won four Tonys including best play. Glenville also directed the film version, which was produced by veteran Hal Wallis of “Casablanca” fame. According to TCM.com, the two stars, both known as hellraisers, didn’t drink at the beginning of the production, but that didn’t last very long! The two became pub mates during the production.

“Becket” made $9.1 million in 1964 which is equivalent to $89 million today. And it earned 12 Oscar nominations including best picture, director, actor for O’Toole and Burton, winning for Edward Anhalt for his screenplay adaptation. (O’Toole would also receive an Oscar nomination as an older, world-weary Henry II in 1968’s “The Lion in Winter.”)

SIGN UP for Gold Derby’s free newsletter with latest predictions

Sadly, “Becket” hasn’t aged well in the past six decades. It sags and sputters. It’s fun to watch O’Toole and Burton verbally beat parry, but it’s not enough. TCM.com notes that the problems with the narrative go back to the play; critics had issues with how Anouilh treated Becket’s spiritual transformation.  The New York Times wrote in its review of the play that the “eye is diverted and the mind stimulated. But the heart is not often stirred.” And that is one of the main problems with the film, there is no heart. For all the lush costumes and sets and sturm und drang, “Becket” rings hollow.

Make your predictions at Gold Derby now. Download our free and easy app for Apple/iPhone devices or Android (Google Play) to compete against legions of other fans plus our experts and editors for best prediction accuracy scores. See our latest prediction champs. Can you top our esteemed leaderboards next? Always remember to keep your predictions updated because they impact our latest racetrack odds, which terrify Hollywood chiefs and stars. Don’t miss the fun. Speak up and share your huffy opinions in our famous forums where 5,000 showbiz leaders lurk every day to track latest awards buzz. Everybody wants to know: What do you think? Who do you predict and why?

Best of GoldDerby

Sign up for Gold Derby's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.